Rock drill



June 8, 1943. uc 2,321,475

ROCK DRILL Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ALBERT FEUCHT LK v 175.5 75- BY ATTORNEY June 8, 1943. uc 'r 2,321,475

ROCK DRILL Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A4552?" FE'UCHT BY ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1943 ROCK DRILL Albert Feucht, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Rock Drill Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,065

3 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to rock'drills, but more particularly to an improved fluid operated feeding mechanism and mounting for a rock drill of the drifter type.

One object of this invention is to provide a support for a rock drill on which the drill may be moved out of the path of the longitudinal axis of the drill steel without necessitating the loosening of clamps or the like.

Another object of this invention is to produce a supporting and feeding mechanism for a rock drill enabling th drill to be set up in any desired position and fed to the work under the control of the operator, this novel assembly being simple in construction, strong, durable and elficient in operation.

Another object of this invention is to produce a rock drill feeding mechanism equipped with suitable valve means through which operation of the drill and its feeding mechanism can readily and conveniently be controlled by the operator.

Other objects and advantages more .or less ancillary to the foregoing reside in the specific construction and aggroupment of the elements peculiar to this structure, as will become appar-, ent from a more complete examination of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sid elevational view of a rock drill assembly embodying the invention and shown in operative position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the connection between the rock drill and feeding mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Figs. l and 5 are cross sectional views taken through a plane indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 3 and illustrating a throttle valve in different positions.

Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figs. 4 and 5 respectively but taken in a plane indicatedby line 6-6 in Fig.3.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line 8--8 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. l but showing the rock drill in inoperative position.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line Iii-l in Fig. 9.

1 Referring to the drawings, i represents the cylinder of a rock drill having front housing It adapted to receive the shankof a drill steel i7 normally held in the drill'by a retainer 18. At

the other end of the cylinder i5 there is a head I!) having adequate connections to receive an air hose 2B and a water hose 2 I, the latter being provided with a valve 22.

The, drill above referred to is of the usual type well-known in this art and includes the usual piston reciprocable within the cylinder I5 for imparting impacts to the drill steel I! in rapid succession, the drill steel being normally rotated by a rotation mechanism also included either in the cylinder l5 or head I9.

Referring now more particularly to the invention, intermediate the ends of the cylinder l5 there is an integral boss or lateral projection 23 formed with a tapered bore 24 extending therethrough and adapted to receive the tapered end 25 of a feed piston rod 26, the boss23 being secured in position on the rod by a nut 27. The piston rod 26 extends from the open end of a feed cylinder 28 wherein it is slidably mounted through a bushing 29 secured in the open end of the feed cylinder 28 by a retaining sleeve 30 screwed on the cylinder 28. .The inner end of the pistonrod 26 is reduced as at 3| to receive piston 32 which rests against a tapered shoulder 33 formed on the rod 26 and is secured in position on the rod by a retainer 34 screwed within the rod 26. To assume a fluid tight joint between the piston 32 andcylinder 28, the former carries packing rings 35 under which pressure fluid may be admitted through ports 33 which open in a common annularrecess 3! having motive fluid supplied thereto by a passage 38 in a manner hereinafter explained. The piston rod 26 is also provided with a bore 39 which is closed adjacent the outer end of the rod near the nut 21 but extends through the reduced portion 3i wherein it is reduced in diameter as at 40. The retainer 34 mounted at the inner end of the rod 26 is also provided with a central port 4| in constant communication with the bores fill and 39 for admitting and exhausting motive fluid to and from th cylinder 28 behind the piston 32, the adjacent end of the cylinder being closed by a special plug 42.

Within the boss, 23 extending laterally from the cylinder l5, the'piston rod bore 39 is in com munication with an annular groove 43 through a radial port 44.

Between the rod 26 and the cylinder1l5 there is provided in the boss 23 of thefcylinder l5 a cylindrical chamber 45 which is closed'at one end by a removable plug '46, while the other end is opened through a relatively small bore' 47.

Rotatable within the valve chamber 45 there is a feed control valve 48 having a shank 49 extending through the reduced bore 41 where it is adapted to receive a handle 50 secured in position by a nut In the valve 48 there is a bore 52 from which leads a radial port 53 opening into a groove 54 provided on the peripheral wall of the valve within a vertical plane indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 3. The groov 54 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 tapers outwardly in a counterclockwise direction and is capable of registration with the annular recess 43 through a .port 55. Longitudinally spaced from the groove 53 and specifically within a vertical plane passing through line 86 in Fig. 3 the peripheral wall of the valve 48 is provided with an exhaust groove 56 which also tapers outwardly but in a clockwise direction in Figs. 6 and 7. The groove 56 is capable of communication with the annular groove 43 through a port 51, and with an exhaust port 58 which extends from the valve to the atmosphere through the boss 23.

In the back-head 19 there is a throttle valve 59 rotatably mounted within a cylindrical chamber 60 and operable by a handle 6|. Also leading from the chamber 69, and not controlled by the throttle valve 59, there is a passage 62 opening into the valve chamber 45 back of the feed control valve 48 through which pressure fluid may be supplied to the bore 52 of the feed valve 48.

Within the vertical plane passing through line 8--8 in Fig. 3, the boss 23 is provided with a bore 63 which is perpendicular to the center axis of the valve 48 and normally closed by a removable plug 64. In this bore is slidably mounted a spring pressedlocking plunger 65 formed with a wedged shaped end 66 engageable with teeth 61 provided on the peripheral wall of the valve 48 for preventing accidental rotation of the valve.

Near its inner end, this feed cylinder 28 is provided with a vent 88 which extends to the atmosphere through the retainer 38 for venting the cylinder during the outward movement of the piston 32. This vent as the piston approaches the end of its outward movement is closed by the piston to form a dash pot action in the inner end of the feed cylinder for preventing impact of the piston against the bushing 29.

In practice the feed cylinder 28 is rigidly secured to a column 69 by a releasable clamp 10, the column 69 being set-up under compression between the floor and ceiling H and I2 respectively of the stope 13 of a mine. The clamp is preferably mounted to the end of a cross arm, not shown, which in turn is detachably secured to the column 69 in a manner well-known in this art.

In the operation, when the parts are positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, pressure fluid from any suitable source of supply is admitted through the hose into the chamber 60 and when the throttle valve 59 is open, pressure fluid is ad'- mitted to the cylinder l5 for imparting reciprocation to the rock drill piston which delivers impacts to the drill steel H for performing the work. Concurrently water may also be admitted to the drill steel through hose 2l' controlled by the valve 22. From the chamber 60, the pressure fluid will also flow through the passage 82 into the valve chamber 45 and therefrom into the valve bore 52. When the feed control valve 48 is positioned as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, motive fluid from the valve bore 52 will flow through the valve port 53 into the groove 54 and therefrom into the annular groove 43 through the port 55. From the annular groove 43, the motive fluid will be admitted into the outer end of the feed cylinder 28 through the piston radial port 44, its bores 39 and 40 and port 4| of retainer 34, thereby exerting pressure on the piston 32 for sliding the piston and its component rod 26 out of the stationary feed cylinder 28. The rock drill 15 being held stationary on the end of the piston rod 26 will be fed to the work and the drilling operation proceeded in the regular manner. During this forward movement of the piston 32, the air trapped within the feed cylinder ahead of the piston will exhaust therefrom through the vent 68 and after this vent is finally covered by the piston, the air trapped between the vent and the end of the feed cylinder or bushing 29 will act as a cushion to limit further forward movement of the piston rod 26 relative to its cylinder. At that time, the operator may simply close the throttle valve 6| and turn the feed control valve 48 in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

In this new position of the feed control valve the pressure fluid previously admitted into the other end of the feed cylinder 28 may now escape therefrom through the port 4|, piston rod bores 40 and 39, radial port 44, annular groove 43 and port 51, this last port being connected to the exhau'st port 58 through the valve groove 56 as shown in Fig. 6, while the inlet port 53 is now moved out of communication with the port 55, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Exhaust of the motive fluid through the feed cylinder will enable the operator to pull the piston rod 26 and rock drill l5 rearwardly and after having opened the re tainer [8, the rock drill may be swung into the position shown in Fig. 9, that is, out of the path of the central axis of the drill steel ll, thereby enabling the removal of the drill steel preparatory to the insertion of a longer drill steel into the hole partly drilled. Thereafter the rock drill I5 may again be swung in a position coaxial with the drill steel as shown in Fig. 1 and the throttle valve 59 and feed valve 48 again opened to re- 'sume the drilling operation.

During feeding motion of the drill steel motive fluid flowing to the outer end of the feed cylinder through the piston rod bore 40 will also be admitted under the packings 35 through the radial port 38, groove 31 and ports 36 for urging the packings against the inner wall of the feed cylinder 28 to assure a fluid tight joint between the piston and cylinder.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the rock drill 15 may be swung out of the path of the drill steel l1 without the necessity of loosening the clamp 10 or any other similar clamps heretofore incorporated in rock drill mountings, thereby assuring perfect alignmentof the rock drill relative to the drill steel as well as reducing the time required for changing the drill steel. Furthermore, the feed control valve 48 being located adj acent to the throttle valve handle 6i enables the operator to control either of them without inconvenience, the feed being readily controlled by positioning the valve 48 into a more or less complete open position of the groove 54 relative to the port 55.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order to completely set forth the invention, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining and it is to be further understood that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of structural detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. In a rock drill mounting, a feeding mechanism including a feed cylinder, means for rigidly supporting said cylinder from the ground, a fluid actuated piston rod slidable and rotatable in said cylinder, a fluid actuated drilling motor, an integral projection for said motor extending laterally thereof, said projection having a tapered bore for clamping one end of said piston rod whereby the motor is carried by the feeding mechanism in offset relation with the center axis thereof, said piston rod having a bore extending throughout its length and a port communicating therewith, an annular recess formed in said tapered bore having communication with said port, and a feed valve carried by said projection for controlling the admission of motive fluid to said piston rod through said annular recess to operate said feeding mechanism.

2. In a rock drill mounting, a feeding mechanism including a feed cylinder, means for rigidly supporting said cylinder from the ground, a fluid actuated piston rod slidable and rotatable in said cylinder, a fluid actuated drilling motor, an integral projection for said motor extending laterally thereof, said projection having a tapered bore for clamping one end of said piston rod whereby the motor is carried by the feeding mechanism in offset relation with the center axis thereof, the other end of said piston rod being of reduced diameter and carrying a piston thereon, a bore through said rod for admitting and exhausting fluid to and from said piston, a port in said rod communicating with said bore, an annular recess formed in said tapered bore having communication with said port, and a feed valve carried by said projection between said drill motor and cylinder for controlling the admission of motive fluid to said piston rod through said annular recess.

3. In a rock drill mounting, a feeding mechanism including a feed cylinder, means for rigidly supporting said cylinder from the ground, a fluid actuated piston rod slidable and rotatable in said cylinder, a fluid actuated drilling motor, an integral projection for said motor extending laterally thereof, said projection having a tapered bore for clamping one end of said piston rod whereby the motor is carried by the feeding mechanism in ofiset relation with the center axis thereof, said piston rod having a bore extending throughout its length and a port communicating therewith, a chamber in said projection between said motor and cylinder, a feed valve mounted for rotation in said chamber having a fluid receiving recess, inlet and exhaust ports formed in the periphery of said valve adapted to be brought into registry with said port for admitting fluid to said feeding mechanism, and means for controlling said valve.

ALBERT FEUCHT. 

